How to Develop a MRSA Plan

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a germ that developed a resistance to commonly used antibiotics. MRSA can cause serious infections of the skin, wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs or the urinary tract. Though many people with MRSA infections aren't in danger, some die from their untreatable infections. Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other health care centers need rigorous infection control procedures to keep MRSA and other germs that are resistant to antibiotics in check.

Instructions

• 1

  Gather data about your facility to determine the nature and extent of the problem. Explore what percentage of patients recovering from surgery become infected and the probable sites of the infection. Find out the infection rate in departments, such as the intensive care unit where many patients have catheters and feeding tubes. Examine data from outpatient units. Report on whether MRSA infection is primarily a localized problem in certain areas or spread throughout the facility.

• 2

  Use your facility's infection control committee if there is one. If not, organize a small, representative committee to examine the data you assembled. Ensure that the group has a representative from areas with higher infection rates and that every level of the staff involved in patient care, from physicians to nurses aides, is represented. Present the committee data about infection control procedures at other institutions like yours, federal government recommendations and state health department regulations and published studies highlighting the problems and proposed solutions.

• 3

  Develop a plan that addresses the problems you have identified in your facility. Since the plan can be no better than its implementation, seek approval for your plan and implementation steps from appropriate administrators, department heads and key personnel whose indifference or resistance might derail your effort.

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that four parallel strategies are necessary for an effective program. They recommend "infection prevention, accurate and prompt diagnosis and treatment, prudent use of antimicrobials and prevention of transmission."

• 4

  Prepare the physical facility for the plan's implementation. Since proper, frequent hand washing is reported as a most effective way to prevent the spread of infections in health care facilities, put sinks or anti-microbial agent dispensers in convenient locations for staff and visitor use.

• 5

  Schedule education sessions and follow-up to help ensure compliance. Make everyone aware of their role and the overall effort. Seek out a champion, a widely respected staff member who can explain the importance of controlling MSRA and other difficult to treat infections. Encourage the adaptations required by your plan.

  Track the infection rates and publicize them to prevent former, undesirable habits from returning.